


Dionysian

by CoralFlowerDaylight (CoralFlower)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-15 19:15:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18675805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoralFlower/pseuds/CoralFlowerDaylight
Summary: “Don’t be ridiculous, Nymphadora--”“Don’t call me that.”“Why not? It’s a perfectly lovely name--”“No, it isn’t.”“How about Dora, then?”“No! Just Tonks.”





	Dionysian

**Author's Note:**

> this is in second person because then there's no indications of gender in the narration for the main character :)

Everything started on your first night at Hogwarts.

Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that everything started when your mother found you, body shifted into a male form, at age eight, and sat you down and explained to you all about how it wasn’t okay; it would stunt your growth, later, and mess with your cycle, and it could even make you unable to get pregnant. You shifted uncomfortably and ran from the conversation as soon as you could, unable to put words to your discomfort even though you knew you hated the subject.

In any case, your first night at Hogwarts was the first time you _knew_. You were following the female prefect to your assigned dorm, traipsing a bit behind the first year girls as they climbed the stairs, and when you stepped onto them, they turned into a chute, and everybody slid _down, down, down_.

You remember the shock of it. First, you thought-- a rude prank! It must be. But then, as Emily (the fifth year prefect) took your hands and explained that this just happened sometimes, and McGonagall would get things fixed in no time at all, you slowly realised that the stairs-slide was meant to keep boys out. And if you set it off...

“No, that’s fine, Emily,” you said, pulling your hands out of hers. “I think I’m just meant to be a boy, instead, you see.”

She laughed, and the hope that had begun to flower in your chest sank into your stomach and coiled up into dread.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Nymphadora--”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Why not? It’s a perfectly lovely name--”

“No, it isn’t.”

“How about Dora, then?”

“No! Just Tonks.”

Emily looked closer then, and saw the tears welling up in your eyes, and she relented.

“Alright then, Miss Tonks--” and you wiped at your eyes and gave up as everything within you shriveled up and died.

 

You don’t try again for a very long time. But in your seventh year...

Instead of going to your dormitory on the first night back from Christmas break, you go to the Headmaster’s office. Perhaps you should be going to McGonagall, but you can’t help mistrusting her, since supposedly she’s been brushing aside students like you for years when they set off the stairs.

So you go to Dumbledore. He lets you in, doesn’t call you Nymphadora or Miss, just Tonks. You don’t sit down in the chair across from him. Instead, you shut your eyes, and shift right in front of him.

“I’m going to live as a man from now on,” you say, opening your eyes to stare down the only wizard Lord Voldemort ever feared. “And if you want to make me stay with the girls, that’s fine, but I won’t be shifting back ever again, and you can’t make me.”

Albus Dumbledore does not laugh. He does not take your hands. He doesn’t explain to you that shifting your sex will make it so that you can’t get pregnant.

“Alright,” he says. “I’ll ask the house elves to move your things and add a bed to the Seventh Year Boys’ room. Can you be trusted to stay out of the girls’ side until McGonagall has the time to undo her previous enchantments?”

Your jaw drops, and you stare at Dumbledore blankly for a moment. You weren’t expecting to get this far.

“Yes!” you say, and your new voice cracks. “I-- thank you, sir.”

“It is no problem at all, Mr. Tonks,” Dumbledore says. “Let me know if you would like your first name changed in the registers as well.”

“Oh,” you say, because you hadn’t even dared to hope that would be allowed. “I-- Dionysus? Is that okay? Dionysus Tonks?”

You curse yourself for phrasing it as a question, but Dumbledore doesn’t take advantage of your weakness. He just nods.

“Of course, Mr. Tonks. Professor Vector can help you get started if you would like your name changed legally outside of Hogwarts as well. Please let myself or Professor McGonagall know if there are any problems with your new dormmates.”

“I will, sir, thank you.”

“It truly is no problem, Mr. Tonks,” Dumbledore says, eyes twinkling. “After all, help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.”

**Author's Note:**

> comment or whatever, i wrote this in like a half hour after coming up with the idea on my walk home from class lol.


End file.
